SARBJIT

The emotion of hate is at its ugliest when its roots are in love. In life too we notice that many times acute hatred is nothing but pure emotion which got misplaced and misunderstood. Siblings fighting court battles, couples getting a divorce or even two warring nations which were one, once upon a time. Based on the true life of Sarbjit Singh, Sarbjit rekindles and fans the Indo-Pak animosity fire. This film tells the story of this love and hate between two very emotional nations. And in the events of hatred it is always the innocent that gets destroyed. This great tragedy has always been a reality since the time mankind existed.  An innocent man is captured, tortured, mutilated and wrongfully convicted. His relentless sister fights till his last breath, taking the fight to the mighty and powerful of the two nations. Mankind has always celebrated triumph, victory, happiness and success with pomp and vigor. This film celebrates tragedy, sorrow, melancholy and misery of a man and his family. What makes the story more tragic is the suffering for no fault of the victim.

 Randeep Hooda has reached a new level of performance which was awesome and grand. Every artist is supposed to be competing with himself and not anyone else. Randeep is surely taking huge strides in winning this contest. Aishwarya gives a heartening and sincere performance and happens to be the star of the film. The sheer hard work and dedication is obvious however, it just doesn’t hit home and delight. If only Riccha Chadda could have replaced her, this film would be legendary. Riccha has the intensity and talent to match Randeep’s passion and would have given the audience an experience to remember. The very few scenes she has actually acted in have added impact to the flow. The film does seem to drag because of the tragic story, however kudos to Omung Kumar who tries to show the reality of the story. Pakistan has been shunned in many scenes adding to the emotiveness of the whole issue which only can make things difficult. The fight and struggle is overbearing and heavy leaving a melancholic effect. Not a must watch, but if u like a biopic and history, go for it.

DEAR DAD - Review

Dissappointing !! Its like when the chef has all the ingredients to make a Michelin star dish and he fails to put it together for some reason. The dish is unappetizing and tastes average.  This was a great opportunity for Tanuj Bhramar to make an award winning film. A brilliant actor who fits the character perfectly with his natural poise, intensity and charm. A teenage debutant who is able to emote and has a grip on his act.  A very unique and interesting story with the potential to stand out.  Scenic locations to compliment the silent emotive and poignant issue. Silent frames and tones that begged for intensity and motion from the director. The script lacked dialogue, involvement of characters making the story torpid.  Dear Dad lacks the juice and spice that make films great. There are huge gaps in the narrative. The father confesses – the son reacts – interval – the son accepts – THE END.

The father son relationship has been done justice by the father and the son. The friendly relationship that a loving father is strong enough to have with the son, has been depicted beautifully. Himanshu Sharma shows maturity as Shivam while dealing with a difficult issue his family faces.The film successfully rubbishes common, prejudiced and condescending misconceptions about a particular social minority,

Rating – 2 / 5

SAIRAT - Review

Power and honor are the two most seductive achievements most human beings can kill for. They are capable of destroying love, innocence, relations, friends, neighbors and even societies. One will always remember this film for the moments that will shock and startle them. The crazy love an innocent teenager feels for a girl, the cockiness and brashness of a village girl who happens to be the daughter of a powerful politician, a teacher being slapped by the politicians son when asked to behave, the innocent romance between two young people as it blossoms, songs like "Zingaat" that literally made many from the audience leave their seats and dance in front of the screen (mind you, this was in a multiplex!), the lustful vengeance of the powerful for defying the social norms, daring lovers to make it on their own and a heart wrenching and stomach churning end that will take a few minutes to sink. I have always known Marathi cinema to showcase extraordinary talent in its narratives, lead performances and simple yet poignant composition. 

The rural settings and dialects cause a strong connection for the Marathi audience which was present in strength on a week night. It also made for the entertainment quotient in the rural nuances and ways of life. The lead actors, Rinku Rajguru and Akash Thosar showcase raw talent and great acting prowess in their performances. Rinku exudes confidence and craft while Akash will win your heart with his handsome looks and boyish charm. It can boast of three sensational numbers that will be hummed by most Marathis for a long time. The complete characters, identifiable cast, simple narrative, songs with panoramic picturization and divine music reminded me of Mani Ratnam films several times. The film does drag towards the ending, however the execution of an interesting theme is remarkable making this film a must watch.

 

Ki & Ka - Film Review

The mediums of art and creativity are more often than not a reflection of the present times and events of a society. Performing and fine arts draw inspiration from the changing moods and evolving social ethos. I don’t know if this film is reflective of the changing attitudes and acceptance of the Indian society. Is India ready to break the moulds and shed prejudiced uniforms that have been ritualistically worn by the members of the society to form the age old social fabric? Though it isn’t as difficult to assume gender fluidity, the challenge lies in the aftermath that comes with the complexity of established norms, rules, rituals and prejudices. This light romantic yet radical film presents the capability of our youth to be broad minded and accept changes of the present and future times. The acceptance of the changing roles of a man and woman in the social structures of individual, family, society and civilization is not only possible but agreeable. A man can be as caring, nurturing and loving as a woman just as a woman can be as dominating, chauvinistic and egoistic, has been conveyed subtly through the two hours. 

                                     

There is an uncanny resemblance to the film Abhimaan with the gender and roles being switched, the Bachan couple's special appearance adding to it. A lot of the story is focused on the gender role switch making it a tad boring. We needed to move on somewhere towards the end of the first half to the next part of the story. A little more friction, a greater emphasis on the prejudice of established gender roles, fiercer ego clashes could have made the film spicier giving the experience a sharper kick. However, the film has done complete justice to the theme and the story.  Balki presents an interesting message through the light humor and cute romance. Kareena Kapoor has always mesmerized me on the silver screen. I have never seen anyone with better screen presence. Though I feel Priyanka would have been a better fit as she carries the corporate successful modern woman avatar much better with great talent for the aggressive character. Arjun Kapoor does well in his poised big bear home maker gig. These are interesting times as we see creative arts breaking norms and introducing the society to gender fluidity and alternate sexuality, which has been strictly heteronormative and patriarchal. 

Rating - 3.5/5

Kapoor and Sons - REVIEW

A life saving story, film and experience for anyone, especially me, who was brave enough to watch a Dharma Productions / Karan Johar film. They have risen to the challenge of the new era in our film industry, and how ! No romancing of foreign locations, no much romance actually, no sucking up to western lingo or lifestyles, no baby pink characters and no prince charming on white horses. A family drama yes, but a very modern and resonating one, Kapoor and Sons is everything about the new age and the present times. There are so many unusual things in this film but very real and provoking at the same time.  Shakun Batra weaves a wonderful story about a family with each member’s life intertwining with the other’s through relationships, bonding, and anger in the past, present and future. Parents who favor one child over the other, for living upto their imagined expectations, expectations that are impressionist, if not real. A bickering couple who have lost the love for each other, suffering every day. Human beings who do everything to showcase their perfection by deliberately pouncing on the vulnerable and the unusual. Though in reality their bigotry lurks in the shadows stinking through their actions and words. An old, almost dying man who knows the invaluable value of time, emotions, love and relationships. Indian born young people escaping to the modernized west and an individualistic life, to be who they really are, free from Indian prejudices and contradicting “morals” and “values”. Yet they cannot let go the strong bonding with their family and relationships. I am impressed by Fawad Khans performance. Having watched him in Who Humsafar series on ZIndagi, I had thought of him as an expressionless and passionless actor. However, he has proved me wrong with a brilliant and poignant performance through a very silent and impactful presence. It’s like how you are shaken up when people who never cry, suddenly start crying. Ratna Pathak’s performance matches Fawad Khan’s in the close mother-son relationship. Rishi Kapoor exhilarates with his larger than life exuberance and joi de vivre. Siddharth Malhotra can do better, however the confrontation scene with his mother gives us something to look forward to in his future performances. Alia, you need a bigger canvas. The first half of the film was a bit of a drag but the second half bounced back making it the best story of 2016 so far. 

Neerja

Neerja 

I couldn’t stop crying almost the entire second half. A film that will take you so close to Neerja, the braveheart flight purser  who died saving lives of 350 passengers in a hijacked plane, that you feel you know her well enough to mourn her death. It is one of the most incredible films of this year about Neerja Bhanot who was a very compassionate and loving person deep down. It’s what gave her the strength and bravado to be unfazed in front of terrorists with machine guns and animal menace. The most incredible part of this film is the real life feel about it. You will feel as if it is happening to your relative or your neighbor, someone you are close to and someone you know very well. The relationships have been woven beautifully into the story of this film. Though the bravery and strength of Neerja is the highlight of this film, her relationship with her family and her boyfriend is where she draws her strength from. The words of wisdom that her father tells her over a phone call save her from an abusive marriage and also save 350 passengers in the hijacked plane, but cannot save her. We often feel emotional in films because we draw similar situations in our lives. The relationships, bonding and connections of Neerja are the ones of any Indian family and that’s why this film is so gripping. The brilliance of the great veteran Shabana Azmi ,as Neerja’s mother, are the center piece of this film. The emotions and love she expresses for her daughter could be acted out only by her. Shekhar should take up acting seriously, for he is far better than so many “leads”. Excellent performances by the cabin crew and passengers.  Its as if I was in the plane. Of course this is Sonam Kapoor’s best performance in her career and am happy to see what she is capable of. Her silent, emotive yet strong and concentrated performance are completely different from the roles she has done so far. 

ALIGARH - review

Aligarh – Review

Whenever the term homosexuality or gay comes up in our interactions and discussions there is a prejudiced attitude, thought stuck in our minds. I guess the immediate picture that many human beings see is the one of two men engaging in fellatio or sodomy. And because of this skewed picture and notion, the term gay and/or homosexuality has become a bad word, a taboo, a shameful abhorrent act. How come the term heterosexuality does not inspire the same thought? Why is it that the terms heterosexuality or straight does not immediately realize a graphic illustration of a man and a woman engaging in intimate sexual act ? I will not get into the descriptions because maybe I too am biased, not to spell out in words what exactly a man and a woman really do during the sexual intercourse, thanx to the preconditioning of our mindset by the society. When a child confesses to the parent about her/his same sex preferences, why does it draw disgust, angst and at the heart of it fear and worry from the parent? The answers to these questions have beautifully, yet poignantly been answered in Hansal Mehta’s ALIGARH, a film about a Marathi language professor being criminalized and demonized for having same sex preferences. The protagonist Professor Siras has, throughout the film, beautifully expressed his pain and anguish for describing his emotions of love in a three letter word. He asks in the film “ Why is the emotion of love that I feel been ridiculed and reduced to just the act of sex between two men?”  At the heart of it is indeed love between two human beings and since when did loving another person become criminal ?

The whole issue of same sex preferences has been abused, butchered and turned into garbage due to the obsession of the sexual act. Why are we so obsessed with the sexual act that two individuals engage in, in utmost privacy? Sex is the ultimate form of expression of love between two human beings who love each other. It is obvious that it is a very private affair and restricted between those two individuals only. Just as in the film, why is this privacy stamped over and splashed over the streets for everyone to examine and comment? IT IS NOBODY’S BUSINESS, what two consenting adults do in the privacy of their homes. The adults may or may not be of same sex, religion, caste, creed or any other form of diversity. Manoj Bajpai has done complete justice to the late professor Siras by expressing the emotions that professor must have experienced. The pain agony and gross exploitation of his privacy have been perfectly acted in the subtle expressions, quiet demeanor and shy personality. Reporter Deepu Sebastian’s jumpy and brave character has been done justice by Raj Kumar Yadav. The intimate scenes between a man and a woman and that between two men drawing parallels are the highlight of the film. The entire film has a slow, passive and subtle character to it, reflecting upon the protagonist. There is no drama, violence or loudness to the film. A brilliant effort to bring not just the issue into mainstream media but present it in a pure form of love between two individuals. I hope we don’t see gay mocking and jokes on alternate sexuality in cinema, just to please the audience and add a few more crores into the kitty.